Classic Everest Base Camp

The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla takes 45 minutes. A hair-raising landing on a steep mountain runway, brings you to the village of Lukla [2900m]. After meeting the crew, you start your trek by heading up the Dudh Koshi Valley on a well-marked trail to Phakding. Overnight at teahouse.

From Phakding, we cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up in order to protect and preserve the fragile mountain environment. You then take a steep hike to Namche. If the weather is clear, you get the first glimpse of Mt Everest. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market – a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La.

Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu and has an abundance of lodges, tea shops and souvenir shops. It is an ideal place to spend a day, acclimatizing to the new altitude before heading off towards Tengboche. To acclimatize, you can visit Khunde Hospital set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or take a one hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. There are also good views from the National Park Centre and Museum just above the town.

From Namche, the trail contours on to the side of the valley, high above the Dudh Koshi. You will get a good view of the great peaks of the Khumbu including Mt Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, you descend steeply to a bridge over the river at Phunki Tenga. The village is an ideal stopover for lunch. Here you can rest before making the steep climb to Tengboche, famous for its legendary monastery, the largest in the Khumbu. A spectacular panorama of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam rising in the horizon can be seen from your overnight stop.

You descend downhill through a forest, cross the Imja Khola and climb steadily to the village of Pangboche. This village is directly opposite Ama Dablam (6,856 m), and has exceptional views of the mountain, with the gompa, mani walls and scattered pine trees in the foreground. A further two hours walk brings you to Pheriche.

You continue up the wide valley beneath the impressive peaks of Cholatse and Tawache on the left. You then turn right and take a steep climb towards the foot of the Khumbu Glacier. The tea house at Duglha is a good spot to have lunch. The trail zigzags up through the boulders of the glacier’s terminal moraine. At the top of this climb there are many stone cairns, built as memorials to the many Sherpas who have died while climbing Mt Everest. The path then climbs gently along the glacier, to eventually reach the cluster of houses at Lobuche.

To reach your next stop, Kala Pattar, you follow the Khumbu Glacier. The trail offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. You stop for lunch at Gorak Shep where you will spend the night. Later in the afternoon, you make your way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Everest region, Kala Pattar (5554m). As the light begins to fade you stroll back to your camp at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for your trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.

A very early start is required to reach the Everest Base Camp. It takes several hours as the trail weaves its way through ice pinnacles and past the crevasses of the Khumbu Glacier. On the return leg, you can take a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the South Col. You return to either Gorak Shep or Lobuche.

Today’s trek is mostly downhill. As we retrace our steps to Duglha and descend to Pheriche, we arrive at The Himalayan Rescue Association, a trekker’s aid post and worth a visit. After lunch you cross the Khumbu Khola on a wooden suspension bridge and follow the Imja Khola to the village of Pangboche.

You continue to follow the river and, after crossing it, climb back up through birch and rhododendron forest to Tengboche. Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega and Thamserku are just a few of the Himalayan giants to be seen. From Tengboche you descend to the bridge over the Dudh Koshi. At Phunki Tenga, you get to see the water driven prayer wheels, before making your way back to Namche.

Your final day’s trekking follows the Dudh Koshi back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal opportunity for a farewell party with the Sherpa guides and porters, where you can sample some chang, try Sherpa dancing and look back on a memorable trekking experience.

After an early breakfast, you will head to the airstrip for your return journey to Kathmandu. Later, you are have free time to explore free for independent activities. You stay overnight in a hotel in Kathmandu.

This is our last day in Nepal. It can be devoted to recreation, As well as the most important thing – the day you can buy presents for their relatives, colleagues and friends), the final evening gala dinner and going home. Late in the evening flight home.